U.S. forces have seized two sanctioned oil tankers with ties to both Russia and Venezuela in the North Atlantic, officials and news outlets reported Wednesday morning.

One vessel, now sailing under the Russian flag as the Marinera and formerly known as Bella-1, was intercepted after eluding a U.S. blockade of sanctioned oil shipments near Venezuela for more than two weeks. United States Coast Guard and military personnel boarded the tanker in international waters, according to an anonymous U.S. official. The operation came after the ship refused a U.S. Coast Guard boarding attempt in Caribbean waters in December and subsequently changed course and identity to avoid capture.

The Marinera is part of what analysts refer to as a “shadow fleet” of vessels used to transport oil for countries under sanctions, including Venezuela and Iran, despite mounting enforcement actions by the United States and allied partners. The ship has been under U.S. sanctions since 2024 for alleged involvement in carrying cargo linked to the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.

Ship-tracking data showed the tanker approaching the waters near Iceland before its seizure. Russia reportedly deployed a submarine and other naval vessels to escort the tanker across the Atlantic. Moscow’s foreign ministry had earlier urged Washington to halt its pursuit, asserting that the vessel was operating under international maritime law.

Later Wednesday morning, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced the separate seizure of another oil tanker, the M/T Sophia, in the Caribbean.

“In a pre-dawn action this morning, the Department of War, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker without incident,” SOUTHCOM said.

It added that the interdicted vessel was conducting “illicit activities” in the Caribbean and is being escorted by the U.S. Coast Guard to the United States for “final disposition.”

“Through Operation Southern Spear, the Department of War is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere. We will defend our Homeland and restore security and strength across the Americas,” said SOUTHCOM.

The interceptions follow a period of intensified U.S. pressure on Venezuela’s oil sector, including the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last week during a U.S. raid in Caracas. Venezuelan officials have condemned the tanker pursuit, framing it as an attempt to seize the country’s oil resources, while U.S. authorities maintain that enforcement of sanctions and maritime law is the primary objective.

The situation could further strain U.S.–Russia relations as Washington continues to clamp down on sanctioned oil flows at sea.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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